Lost Hope
by KNoelB
Summary: Dean 20 Sam 16 Once again John leaves the boys home. But calls and tells them about a hunt. But of course nothing goes right for the Winchesters. HurtSAMMY HurtDEAN
1. Chapter 1

A steady beating slowly woke up Dean. His green eyes clouded with confusion. After a couple of blinks his head cleared and he took in his surroundings. The hospital antiseptic was strong in his nose. His eyes searched for his brother, but they only found his father. Instantly his stomach dropped and dread seeped through him. His father sat slumped in a chair, neck at an awkward angle, sleeping.

"Dad." Dean's voice was weak and hoarse. But John sat up quickly and his eyes met Dean's. a ghost of a smile touched his lips.

"You gave me one hell of a scare." John looked beat to hell and tired.

"Where's Sammy?" John lost eye contact with Dean. "Dad?" John leaned back heavily in the chair. "Where is he, Dad? H-he isn't….Is he?"

"Well…um…" John didn't know how to tell Dean. "Search and rescue are still looking for him." John ran a hand through his hair.

"What? Sammy is _missing_! Why aren't you out there looking for him?" His father stood abruptly.

"Dean, you almost died!" Dean saw the tear fall from his father's eyes and realized the severity of his situation. "I couldn't just leave you here to die." Dean understood, although he wouldn't have done the same.

"Well I'm fine now, so go find Sammy." John gave a slight nod and walked slowly to the door. Right before he opened, he stopped.

"I love you, son." And John was gone. This shocked Dean, he must have really been hurt in order to get that from his father. Dean laid his head back on the pillow and went over his memories of their latest hunt.

_Four days earlier_

"Ok. Yeah, Dad. Sam and I can handle it. Yeah, see you on Thursday." Dean shut his phone and stuffed it back in his pocket. "So Dad has a hunt for us. He's held up at Bobby's."

"What are we hunting?" Sam looked up from his book he was reading.

"A wendigo. Three hikers have been found dead. Said to be a bear attack. But not in the middle of winter."

"I guess we should get ready then." Dean was surprised, but knowing Sammy, he just wanted to get the hunt over with so he could come home to his book.

By night fall, the boys were on their way to the snowing mountain trail, where all the hikers had been found. Dean led the way, with Sam on his heels. They were both bundled up in thermals and warm snow coats. Dean heard a rustling to his left, he held up his hand and Sam instantly stopped. Silently the two brothers pulled out their own flare guns. Dean was on high alert. The boys slowly walked forward. Not until he heard ice breaking, did Dean realize he had led them onto a lake.

"Crap!" Sam's head snapped up as he heard movement up ahead. "Careful Sam the ice is thin right here." Dean began slowly walking towards a cave, which in the summer time there was a pretty waterfall. Dean could hear Sam right behind him. Another crack came from under their feet, more movement to their right. Dean raised his flare gun. The wendigo stepped into the moonlight. Dean fired just as the wendigo lunged for them. He missed, hitting the top of the cave instead. Dean heard another shot and the wendigo fell. Dean stood slowly. Just as he stood the ice broke and he and Sam fell through. The cold was terrible. Dean started to panic because he couldn't find Sam or the water's surface. Dean's lungs burned for sweet oxygen. After a battle his body took over and water flooded his lungs. Darkness over took him.

_Present time_

"Hello Dean. How are you feeling?" A doctor walked into his room. She smiled sweetly at him.

"Just tired that's all."

"Well that's normal."

"What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

"Well, I know I nearly drowned in a frozen lake."

"I'm sorry to say but you did drown. When you arrived you had a body temp. of 32 degrees and you weren't breathing and your heart wasn't beating. After we got your body temp. up, we were able to restart your heart and regulate your breathing. You are very lucky. There is no sign of brain damage and it looks like you with recover completely." She smiled sweetly at him.

"Any other questions?"

"Um yeah, when do I get to leave?"

"Well, in two or three days."

"No! I have to get out today. My brother is still out there in the freezing cold. I can't just lay here while he is either suffering or..or…"

"I'm sorry. But you are not in any condition to go out there." She left him alone. Dean closed his eyes.

_ God, if you are actually real. Please return my brother, alive. I can't live without him._

Just as Dean finished his prayer, his father burst through the door.

"Dean, we found him."


	2. Chapter 2

Dean's eyes flew open and he tried to climb out of bed. "Hey, easy there." John pulled a wheelchair to Dean's bedside. Dean reluctantly sat in it. John hurried through the hospital. He stopped right outside a room. The curtains on the window were drawn and the two Winchesters could see in. Dean gasped at the sight of his younger brother. He was blue, everything. His skin, his lips, even his nails were tinted blue. Silent tears fell down his face. Dean couldn't watch anymore, the sight was too much. His eyes wondered and they landed on a calendar hanging next to the window. Dean's eyes widened.

"Dad what day is it?"

"Friday." Dean nearly fell out of his wheelchair. They had gone out on the hunt, on Tuesday night.

"What day did you find me?"

"Wednesday." Dean almost fell over again. "So Sammy has been missing since Wednesday?" John hung his head.

"Yes." Dean's eyes widened in shock. How could a simple wendigo hunt go so bad? Dean's vision became blurry and tears rolled down his checks. Hey prayed that Sammy would live.

A nurse rushed into Sam's room with an armful of thermal blankets. Soon after the doctor shouted for warm fluids and a nurse ran out of the room.

"What's his temp?" The head doctored asked.

"It's at 86 degrees, Doctor."

"Good it's going up. This kid is fighting."

"Now it's 87."

"Good, let's keep it going up."

Dean and John watched helplessly as the doctors and nurses worked on Sam. Dean looke dup at his Dad, tears filled his eyes. John wiped them away and placed a warm hand on Dean's shoulder. Even just that small gesture made Dean feel a little better. More nurses rushed in and the doctor began giving orders.

"His temp is up to 98. Time to get to work. Continue compressions until the crash cart gets here." Seconds later it was rushed in. Dean sat up straighter and watched them try to shock his brother to life.

"Clear…..Charging….Clear….Charging…..Clear….." Dean heard the sweetest sound ever. _Beep…Beep…Beep…_

Tears of joy fell from Dean's eyes. His baby brother's heart was beating again and that is all that matters. John gripped on Dean's shoulder tightened a little. And Dean realized his father was only staying upright because of his grip on Dean's shoulder. The two eldest Winchesters shared a crimson smile and then turned their attention back to Sam. A doctor was headed their way.

"Sam is very lucky. His heart and lungs are functioning properly. Because of the cold temperatures, when his heart stopped his organs were preserved. Now we just need to watch for brain damage." Turning to Dean, the doctor spoke again. "You were not clinically dead for as long, so there is a higher chance for Sam to have brain damage. But we won't know until he is awake. We will be settling him into a joined room and you will be moved in there too." With a slight nod the doctor left.

"Brain damage?" Dean breathed out. He couldn't wrap his head around Sammy having brain damage.

"We will deal with anything thrown our way." John reassured Dean. "Now you need to get some sleep." Before Dean could protest John continued. "Sam won't be awake for a while, and you need your sleep."

When Dean woke up, he was in a bigger room and Sam's bed was next to his. John sat in a chair between the two beds. He held onto Sam's hand. Dean smiled at the sight; it took a tragedy for John to show how much he loved his boys. Dean sat up and John looked at him.

"Morning Ace."

"What it's morning already?"

"Yeah, you've been out for thirteen hours." Dean's mouth hung up. "You needed it."

"How's he?"

"No change." Dean slipped from his bed and walked on shaky legs to Sam's bed side. He leaned real close and whispered so John wouldn't hear.

"Sammy, I need you to wake up. I need you. C'mon man, you can't sleep forever. Seriously, I need you to wake up. I need my pain in the ass little brother." A tear fell onto Sam's face. Dean carefully wiped it away and stood up. John cleared his throat.

"I'm going to grab a cup of coffee." Dean nodded and took his father's spot. He slid his hand into Sam's and gazed out the window. Dean was reminiscing on the good times he and Sam have had. He jumped when Sam's hand wrapped around his. He looked up and met Sam's hazel cloudy eyes.

"Hey Sam." Dean swallowed back his emotions. "How are you doing?"

"M-m-my h-head h-h-hurts."

"I'm going to grab a doctor, ok?" Sam nodded slightly. While Dean grabbed a doctor, Sam tried to make sense of what had happened. Then he remembered the hunt and the ice and freaking out because he couldn't find Dean.

"Hey Sammy, this doctor is going to take you and run a few tests." Dean squeezed Sam's hand and then let go. Sam let his eyes drift closed again. Sam awoke to voices.

"There is no sign of brain damage. He is very lucky. Your sons can be released on Monday."

"Thank you, doctor."

Despite the Winchester's bad luck, both boys were going to live with no permanent damage.


End file.
